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Family Of Diabetics - Reverse Effect On Child

Robrunner

Member
Messages
24
Type of diabetes
Prefer not to say
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
Hi all.

I wanted to share my experience with diabetes and curious to know if anyone has had similar experiences.

Type 2 diabetes has ran in my family with my grandad and dad, they both lead a particular unhealthy life with consuming large amounts of alcohol, high carb foods and honestly not really consuming much fruit or veg unless it comes with their roast. Now with my dad he takes countless pills each day and hasn't made any changes to his lifestyle nor wants to, He has never really gone into any detail on this when probed and recently has come into a number of issues with his nerves and under taking currently tests for glycoma.

Now the knock on effect it had on myself was that I had the complete fear of foods for quite a long time. This was before I began studying biology, health and nutrition(5-6 years now), so though I need sweets where bad and veg was good that was really about it. This combind with my highly active lifestyle and completing in Ironmans lead me down a road to anorexia, obessive BG checks, BP checks and cholestor checks where if it wasn't for my partner I may well still be there. There are other knock on effects I still have, I drink only at christmas and that is minimal, I hate chocolate and I'm one of those people that if it's walkable distance then that is the mean of transport. I don't think I will ever shift these just due to watching my family over the years. Though quite happy with that.

Right now I live healthy life, happy with my weight and still completing in ultra endurance events. I was curious though if anyone else had experienced similar effects as a result of a loved one not wanting to help themselves?
 
I have a fear of slimy foods which stops me eating fatty meat and eggs which is a shame, but it's a very real phobia which I have brought with me from my past. I dislike driving so would always choose to walk rather than go by car. I rarely drink alcohol.. I would like to be highly active too but years of depression have taken their toll.

I think most people would help themselves if they could. Depression is debilitating and I reckon that's what stopped your Dad 'from trying' . That and the fact that good advice just wasn't out there so if he ever did try then the results were still bad because he was being told to do the wrong things. It's easy to stop being motivated if what you are told to do just doesn't work. It's good that he didn't eat a lot of fruit as fructose would go straight to the liver and make T2 worse.

I am glad you are over your anorexia as being underweight is more dangerous to your health than being overweight. Well done on doing endurance events, they certainly keep you focussed. Oh to answer your question. Yes I have a diabetic cousin who just keeps doing what the doctor tells him even though his blood test results are getting worse.
 
I have a strong family history of diabetes type two.
 
Robrunner said:
I was curious though if anyone else had experienced similar effects as a result of a loved one not wanting to help themselves?
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Not exactly, the fact that my father had type II, his sister was type I (born in the 1920s), I also had an uncle on my mother's side as well as a cousin, both type II, meant that I accepted my diagnosis with great ease. It was in the family? Maybe?

It is true to say that the fact that my dear old aunt became blind, my father had lots of problems with glaucoma and now has macular degeneration has guaranteed that I will try my hardest to do what I can to control my BG. Something my father still doesn't do really, only now he just says "I'm 91, why shouldn't I eat bars of Cadburys Fruit and Nut (the big ones) and drink wine".
He also had a toe amputated which he puts down to diabetes, forgetting his refusal to see a GP in the first place and he's now in hospital with a UTI . . . because he wouldn't go to the GP as soon as he had symptoms. At least his bad behavior is showing me a road that I do not want to follow.
 

Sending you hugs and best wishes for your Dad, hoping he makes a full recovery.
 
Guzzler said:
Sending you hugs and best wishes for your Dad
Click to expand...

Thanks. Sadly my sister has decided to use Facebook to do her dirty washing and I'm in the doghouse for not visiting him yet. Overlooking the fact that I'm the one who makes the 80 mile round trip (High Wycombe - Hounslow) to take him to hospital appointments all over West London (well West Middx, Kingston, Teddington, Roehampton).

I also volunteer at a Multiple Sclerosis Centre where I operate a Baro-chamber to allow MS patients to receive Oxygen Therapy. That's 20 patients in an afternoon session and we're short staffed so I've been filling in for people on holiday. I'm guilty of choosing them over my dad who is chatting up the nurses and cracking jokes (therefore needs kicking out), so not that badly off. Trouble is he now says he can't walk up stairs and my sister has suggested that for him to go home, I have to make a 70 mile round trip daily to make sure he's washed properly everyday. Doesn't seem reasonable or sensible in my mind. Maybe she needs to see a psychiatrist.

Apologies for going off topic, just needed to get it off my chest, I'm seething and my BP has gone through the roof. I wonder if that's why my BG has just kept rising since earlier this morning?
 
I have three cousins with MS so I would like to thank you on their behalf for your time and effort.

As for Sis, well it is true what they say, you can choose your freinds......
 

Sometimes it is just best to get it off your chest. Sorry to hear the effect it has had on you and your family and I hope things improve.

You're completely validated in what you see and volunteering at a MS centre is really amazing of you.

Unforunately as you probably know stress will induce an increase in BG due to various hormones (cortisol) being released. Though it is a stressful time for you just do what you can and if you need to have a chat here then by all means feel free.
 

Interesting what you say, my fear/phobia comes from my parents relationship and the knock on effet that had on the health. Is yours similar (If you don't mind me asking).
 
Robrunner said:
Interesting what you say, my fear/phobia comes from my parents relationship and the knock on effet that had on the health. Is yours similar (If you don't mind me asking).
Click to expand...
No, mine was from personal experiences, so a bit different to you. Thanks for asking though.
 
My family is littered with diabetes, of both T1 and T2, although on my father's side. My mother's side seem to have stuck with other auto-immune conditions for their ails.

I am a former anorexic which was nothing to do with diabetes, and actually the root cause was zero to do with food either.

Our bodies and minds are very complex things.
 
My mother and maternal grandfather both had T2 as does my brother. There is also a high prevalence of asthma, eczema and coeliac in the family and both my sister and I have thyroid issues which leads me to believe that some conditions can be inherited.
 
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